'We send a powerful message' - the trailblazing South Asian athletes

To people South Asian Heritage Month, BBC Sport takes a look astatine 4 sports stars, from Britain and crossed nan world, who are trailblazers for nan region.

The period runs from 18 July to 17 August and this year's taxable is 'free to beryllium me', which is fitting for athletes who break stereotypes and barriers successful nan world of sport.

Scotland's Abtaha Maqsood became nan first British female cricket subordinate to deterioration nan hijab.

Born successful Glasgow to Pakistani parents, nan 25-year-old plays for Birmingham Phoenix, Sunrisers and Middlesex.

The leg-spinner besides helped Scotland suffice for nan ICC Women's T20 World Cup, which takes spot successful October.

Alongside Maqsood's sporting accolades and being a emblem bearer astatine nan 2014 Commonwealth Games successful Glasgow, she has paved nan measurement for young girls from akin backgrounds.

"Having domiciled models is truthful important," she said to Sunrisers., external

Representation matters a lot, particularly successful a athletics wherever location are truthful fewer British South Asian women.

"By embracing our authentic selves connected nan pitch, we nonstop a powerful connection that cricket is simply a athletics for everyone," Maqsood added to Cricket Scotland., external

Earlier this year, Maqsood appeared connected CBeebies Bedtime Story for nan 2nd time.

Named "South Asia's fastest man", sprinter Yupun Abeykoon has been breaking records crossed nan region.

The 29-year-old, calved successful Sri Lanka, won bronze successful nan men's 100m title astatine nan 2022 Commonwealth Games.

Abeykoon was besides nan first South Asian successful 32 years to suffice for nan men's 100m astatine nan 2020 Tokyo Olympics, wherever he went retired successful nan heats.

The region's only jock to timepiece nether 10 seconds successful nan men's 100m sprint, he besides holds nan South Asian grounds for nan men's 60m and 200m, arsenic good arsenic nan Asian grounds for nan 150m.

The sprinter was aiming to participate astatine nan 2024 Paris games but did not suffice successful time.

Abeykoon said nan deficiency of Sri Lankan athletes made him look elsewhere successful South Asia for a domiciled exemplary erstwhile he was starting his master career.

"I want kids to beryllium inspired by maine arsenic well," he told Sportstar, external successful 2022.

Defender Asmita Ale is 1 of nan fewer South Asian female footballers successful England.

Born successful Dorset to parents from Nepal, nan 22-year-old made history successful 2019 erstwhile she signed her first master statement pinch Aston Villa, becoming nan first footballer of Nepalese root to subordinate a Premier League club.

Ale continues to break barriers for South Asian women, by playing successful nan Women's Super League.

She started her profession successful Aston Villa's academy astatine nan property of 8 and, having joined nan women's team, she helped nan nine triumph nan Championship and get promoted to nan apical tier of women's football.

A move to Tottenham Hotspur followed successful 2021, earlier a spell connected indebtedness astatine Leicester City past season.

That statement was made imperishable successful July arsenic Ale remained nan only British South Asian successful nan league.

Internationally, she has represented England astatine younker levels and could go nan first South Asian to play for nan Lionesses.

Speaking to Sky Sports, Ale said her parents ever show her to beryllium proud of her heritage.

India's Mirabai Chanu not only lifts weights but she besides breaks barriers for female South Asians.

A dressed up weightlifter, nan 30-year-old has won 11 medals successful her profession truthful far, including metallic astatine nan Tokyo Olympics and golden astatine nan 2022 Commonwealth Games successful nan 49kg events.

She competed successful nan women's 49kg weightlifting arena astatine Paris 2024, but narrowly missed retired connected a medal, finishing fourth.

Chanu is nan youngest of six siblings, calved and raised successful Nongpok Kakching village, wherever her family realised her talent erstwhile she was aged astir 12.

When starting her career, she said India's astir dressed up weightlifter Kunjarani Devi was her domiciled model, and who later became Chanu's coach.

"I want to beryllium a domiciled exemplary for those aspiring to return up weightlifting," she told nan Hindustan Times, external aft her golden badge astatine nan Commonwealth Games successful 2022.